Gas-meter.



Patented Nov. 26, |90I. C. W. HINMAN.

` GAS METER. (Appneaeion med Iocc. '26, woo.)

3 Sheets-Shea! I.

(Ru Model.)

No. 68?,29. Patented Nov. 26', mol. c, w. IHINMAN.

GAS METER.

4 (Applimion med oec. 2e, 1900;)l` (No Modal.) 3 Shets-Sheei 2.

Ill-Illlmml Patented Nov. 26, I9UI.

c, w. HINMAN.

GAS METER.

(Application med oct. 2e, 1900,)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.'

(No Model.)

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afl/Ld y UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W'. l-IINMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. v

GAS-METER.

srncrsrcarxolv forming para gf Lanterna-.ent No. 687,429, atea November 2e, 1901. v Application filed October 26, 1900. Serial No. 34,422. (No model.)

1o as dry7 meters, two oscillating diaphragmrods are connected by crank arms and links to a crank-arm secured to a rotatable shaft, and two slide-valves are connected by links to another crank-arm secured to saidk rotatable shaft, which control the ports leading to 'and from the diaphragm-chambers, and as s aid shaft is rotated by the actionfof the diaphragms the said slide-valves areoperated alternately. For simplicity oi' construction zo a crank is employed for operatingV the slidevalves, andthe ports are all made rectangular, and by reason of the inheren'tconstruction of the crank and the shapeoi"` the ports the openings of said ports increase and decrease at a constant ratio relative to the movement of the valve, and asa result the sum of the openings of the ports of the two valves leading to the diaphragm-*chambers is not constant, nor is the sum of the openings- 3o of the ports or". the two valves leading from said chambers. y

This invention has for .its object to improve the construction of a gas-meter 'to the eud that a crank may be employed as the actuator for the slide-valves, and the sum of the I openings of the ports leading to the diaphragm-chambers is always. constant and' also the sum of the openings of the ports leading from saidcharnbers.-4 In carrying out 4o this part of my invention a rotatable crank is employed, and two slidevalves are connectedtherewith by links, so as to be moved alternately as said shaft rotates, and inlet and exhaust ports are provided for thedia- .4.5v phragm-chanibers, which are controlled by said slide-valves, and said inlet and exhaust ports and also the valves are so constructed and arranged that the openings of the ports will vary at a progressive ratio relative to the i 5o movement of the valves instead of at a conf stant ratio relative tothe movement of the valves, and as aresult the snm of the openings Vof the ports of the, two valves is maiutained constant at all times.

The invention also has for its object'to improve the construction of the means for at-` taching the crank-arms to the diaphragmrods," whereby the cost of construction is reduced and a very reliable and positive connection insured. In carrying out this part of my invention the upper end of the diaphragmrod, is squared or made of other than round shape, and-a disk or plate having a hole prove the construction of the nipples applied to the upper ends of the inletand outlet tubes,

-Whereby the cost of production is reduced and the solder employed for attaching said nipples to the tubes may be eectually prevented from entering the screw-threads. In' carrying out this part of my invention a nipple is made with a screw-threaded end portion and a tubular Ebody adapted to snugly t upon the outside ofthe tube to which it is to be applied, and s-uch a nipple may be easily and cheaply manufactured, as the shoulderagainst which the upper end ofthe tube abuts is formedon the inside'of the nipple.

.Hcretofore the slide-valves have been provided with guide-rods at opposite ends which crossed the inlet-ports and thereby obstructed saidports more or less; 'and this invention alsqhas for its object toprovide means for guiding and supporting said slide-Valves in such mannerthat the inlet-ports are fully exposed, To this end the slide-valveis formed or provided upon each side with a guide-rod,

and said-'gnide-rods project in opposite'ways.

Figure l shows a top view of a gas-meter embodying thisinvention, the top plate ofthe meter being removed and a portion of the top plate of the vchamber containing the valves being brokenhaway. Fig. 2 is avertical secjtion of the upper pari of the meter shown in` Fig. 3 .is an under side viewcf one of the slide- Fig.. 1, taken on the dotted line l l'.

ICO

which' the inlet and exhaust ports are formed.

- c c, the rods connected to ment; a', the inlet-tube; a2, the outlet-tube;

b, the chamber containing the slide-valves;

the usual diaphragme, (not shown;) e, the rotatable shaft havingv thereon a worm e', engaging a pinion e2, secured to a shaft e3, 'connected with the indicating mechanism'. e has connected with it a crank-arm to which the linksfg are loosely connected, said links being also loosely connected to. the slide-4 valvesf g. The slide-valves f g' are made alike, or substantially so, and one only will be described. vThe slide-valve'f consists of a plate having a fiat-surfaced bottoni .and provided with a rectangular recess f2 between its ends, and at each side of'said recess f the fiat-surfaced portions f3 serve as thelapsfor the ports. The outer edges of the laps are curved for purposes to be described. The plate fis provided on each side with a guiderod f4, which project in opposite ways andw-hich pass through holes formed vin ears f5. These guide-rods being located at th'e'sides of the plate do not cross, and thereby obstruct, the inlet-ports.

h represents a plate formed with a fiat-surfaced top on which the slide-valve f is free to slide with a tight fit, and said -plate is formed h and an exhaust-port with twoinlet-ports h h?. The inlet-ports hare made substantially alike, but Vdisposed in opposite' ways, and, as

herein shown,each inlet-port has one straight and the exhaust-portf-hand one curved side, is formed or provided with two curved sides, the curvatures of whichare opposite the curvature of the curved side of the inlet-port.l

By thus shaping the inlet and 'exhaust' ports and the laps of the slide-valve it will be'seen that as the valve is moved backand forth the openings ot the ports will increase at a pro-` gressive ratio relative to the' movement of the valve as contrasted to' increasing ataconstant ratio, as heretofore. As'a result the sum ofthe openingsv of the inlet-ports of the two valves will be constant at` all times, and also the sum of the openings of the exhaustports of the two valves will be constant at all times. v v l The shaft e ismade'jof-a single rod having secured to it two elongated plates or arms e at a desirable point, which are disposed `in parallelism, and then the material of the rod l end or an end other than round, and a disk or The rotatable shaft vadapted to [it upon theA outside of portsand which projectin between said plates or arms is cut away, leav' ingv a portion above and a portion below the` plates or arms disposed in correct alinement.

The diaphragm-rod c is made with a squared plate c', having a hole through it of a shape corresponding to the end of the rod, is iitted onto the end of said' rod, and a crank-arm c2, having a hole through it, is placed on said rod, upon the disk or platee', and is soldered to said disk or plate.

The nipples i, which are secured to the, tops of theinlet and outlet tubes, are hereinshown as formed with screw-threaded ends and tubular bodies, adapted to t snugly upon 'the outside o'f the tops of the tubes, and with an internal shoulder against which the tops of the tubes abut. The said nipples are soldel-ed. to the tops of the tubes.

I claimi 1. In a gas-meter, a rotatablev crank, two slidefvalves'connected therewith by links to be moved alternately as said shaft rotates, inlet and exhaust ports 4controlled by said slide-valves,said valves and ports being con- -stru-cted and arranged substantially as described, whereby the openings of said ports will vary at a progressive ratio relative to the movement of the valve and consequently the sum of Athe openings of the ports of the two valves 'maintained constant at 'all times, substantially aside'scribed. s

s 2. In agasmeter, a diaphragm-rod having asquared or other than round end, a disk or plate having a hole through it correspondingto the shape of the end of the rod which is fitted'. onto said rod, and a crank-arm having a' hole through it which receives the upper end of the `rod end .which is placed upon and soldered to said disk or plate, substantially roo as described. 3. In a1- gas-ineter, a nipple adapted to be soldered 'to the inlet' and outlet tubes having a screw-threaded end portion, a tubular body the tube x05 to which it is app-lied, and an internal shoul-- derrabutting'- against the upper end 'of the tube, substantially as'described. l

4.' In a gas-meter, slide-valves controlling theinletand exhaust ports havingguide-rods I 1o at each` side which do not cross the inletopposite ways, substantially as described.

'In testimony whereof I have signed my name lto this specification in the presence ot` two subscribing' witnesses.

, CHARLES W. HINMAN.

Witnesses:

i B. J. Noves, 'IL-B. Davis. 

